


Housefire: Get warmth from the fire and the ones who rush to help

by strawberryTala



Series: Arc V Anniversary [3]
Category: Yu-Gi-Oh! ARC-V
Genre: Are the boys Zarc's kids or brothers or something else? shrugs, F/M, Family Fluff, Fires, Gen, The Zarc/Ray is mostly implied and not official, Unconventional Families
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-06-11
Updated: 2019-06-11
Packaged: 2020-05-01 16:34:50
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,030
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19181668
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/strawberryTala/pseuds/strawberryTala
Summary: Ray had been planning a relaxing evening spent doing nothing in particular, just lazing about, maybe watch a movie.Seeing Zarc's home on the news being swallowed up by fire was the last thing she expected or wanted. Didn't mean she wouldn't go there and break a few speeding laws in the process.





	Housefire: Get warmth from the fire and the ones who rush to help

**Author's Note:**

> Arc V Anniversary Day 11 - Fire

* * *

 

 

“ _In urgent news, an apartment complex west of the central park is currently engulfed in large flames. The fire department is working hard to extinguish the fire, but they have called for everyone within the parameters to evacuate-”_  
  


Ray stopped and looked at the large television on the wall. “Another one?”  
  


Reiji gives her a glance from the floor in front of the couch, homework spread out on the coffee table. “They don't know the cause yet, but it was a faulty building, apparently.”  
  


“Hmm,” she hums in response, taking a sip from the glass of water in her hand, still looking at the TV. The height of summer coupled with long stretches of no rain and people ignoring the fire ban meant a lot of burning buildings.  
  


“ _-the fire seems to be spreading with the wind, the fire department once again urge people in the vicinity to evacuate-”_  
  


Weird, the place seemed kind of familiar, but she couldn't put her finger on it...  
  


“ _Pictured is the scene of the fire, we discourage people to stay away from the area and keep the roads free-”_  
  


The screen changes to the burning buildings, two-story apartments with small balconies on the second floor, flames licking away at the yellow-painted wood and sloped rooftops...  
  


Ray chokes, some water running down her chin but it's the last thing on her mind as she whirls on her feet and bolts to her bedroom, slamming the glass down hard on a side table. She almost crashes into her desk in her haste to grab her duel disk and with a few quick taps, holds it up to her ear. She turns to her closet to pull on more proper clothes as it rings.  
  


“Come on, come on... pick up, you stupid ass...” she mutters anxiously as she fights to put on a pair of pants. She's got them on properly as it clicks in her ear and a familiar voice starts immediately cursing.  
  


“ _Goddamnit this is really not the time- hey! Stay here, half a meter max! No buts, or I'll strap you to the bag!”_  
  


Despite the storm of anxiety going on inside her, she almost laughs. Even during a fire he's the same, it seems. “Zarc?”  
  


“ _Listen this is- Ray?”_ He stops, clearly surprised to hear her. Seems he didn't look at the screen before picking up. _“I'm kinda busy-”_  
  


“I know, I saw the news. Are you okay?” She says, managing to pull on her sweater at last and she almost flies out the door. She can hear shouting in the background in her ear and it makes her quicken her steps.  
  


“ _We're fine, mostly. Minimal freaking out, for the most part, it'll probably come later. The number of news reporters is kinda worrying but that's honestly the least of my worries-”_  
  


He's rambling and his voice is getting lower as he continues and in any other situation it would be endearing, but she knows well enough that he's likely panicking just a little by now.  
  


She almost runs into Reiji in the hall, having to screech to a halt and veer around him. He's looking at her with worried eyes. “Ray? What is-”  
  


“I'm heading out for a bit,” she says, walking backwards to keep eye contact with her sibling. “Don't worry, I'll be fine, something urgent just came up.”  
  


“Urgent- Ray?” He follows after her because he's a good kid who worries about people but she really didn't need it right now, she was in a _hurry._  
  


“Reiji, please trust me on this one, I'll be okay.” She turns around to jog to the elevator, slamming the buttons to take her to the garage. “If dad or mom asks you can play dumb so you won't get in trouble.”  
  


“I won't do that,” he says, but doesn't enter the elevator with her, hands clenched at his sides. “Just... call later?”  
  


“Of course.” She smiles at him as the doors close to finally bring her down to the ground floor. With nothing to do she paces around the small space. “Zarc? You still there?”  
  


“ _Still here. What are you doing? I heard you talking to your brother.”_  
  


“He just wondered what I was up to.” The elevator stops and opens, but she's not at her destination yet, making her let out a small curse. The small group of people who slowed her down flinch back at her hard glare, no one making a move to enter as she jams the button to continue bringing her downwards. She doesn't break the stare until the doors have closed.  
  


“ _Ray, don't.”_  
  


“Don't what?”  
  


“ _Ray, for fuck's sake, you pulling up here in a limousine is not gonna help.”_  
  


“I'm taking my own car, it's fine.”  
  


“ _Ray-”_  
  


“I'm going,” she says sharply, with no room for argument. The elevator doors stop and finally open in their giant garage and she's out of the doors before they've finished opening. Her keys are out of her pocket and she's unlocking her car while still running, steps echoing against the walls. “You just sit your ass down and wait for me, I'll be there in a few minutes.”  
  


There's silence all the way until she's wrenched her door open and sat down in the driver seat, and then there's a tired sigh on the other end.  
  


“ _Just don't get into a car crash, you dolt.”_  
  


She smiles sardonically, starting up the car. “See you in a few.”

 

* * *

 

Ray cursed silently as she saw the flames and smoke rising from the buildings. The commotion got louder as she got out of her car, the water rushing to put out the flames and police directing people away and the worried murmuring and occasional crying from the evacuated residents.  
  


Ray's eyes roved over the group, but didn't find the ones she was looking for. Walking down the street, she dialed Zarc's number again, straining her ears to hopefully hear his ringtone or see someone pick up their duel disk.  
  


Faintly, she heard the sound of a familiar guitar riff and hurried in that direction, snarling at people to get out of her way. The music stopped as there was a click in her ear and she saw someone sitting down some ways away from the others picking up a duel disk at the same time.  
  


“ _Ray?”_  
  


“It's me, I think I see you.”  
  


The person was wearing a hoodie, but as she approached Zarc's gold eyes peeked out from under the hood and looked at her, sat on top of a duffel bag on the ground. His shoulders seem to ease their tension just a little as their eyes meet.  
  


“You weren't joking when you said 'a few minutes'.” He says jokingly, putting away his disk and jostling the small body leaning against him. His voice catches the attention of the four children with him.  
  


Yuya groans, lifting his head from where it was buried in Zarc's side and rubbed his eyes, red from crying. He looks up and blinks, before waving at her. “Hi, Ray.”  
  


She gives a small smile back in response before doing a quick headcount. Yuto was sitting on Zarc's lap, looking at the fire with a sad expression, Yugo was leaning against his other knee looking sleepy and Yuri was sitting at his other side on the bag, peering at her with an unreadable look from behind Zarc's arm.  
  


Ray gave a larger sigh of relief than she would admit to and crouched down, looking them over. “Way to give me a heart attack late at night, seeing your place is on fire on the news.”  
  


Zarc smiles, looking more annoyed than humoured. “Being roused awake from a nap by an immense feeling of trepidation isn't pleasant, but we fared better than most thanks to it.” He glances down at his little flock, most of them almost half-asleep. ”A real pain in the ass, regardless.”  
  


Ray chose not to comment on that first part or the fact he was napping this late in the evening, and instead looked over to the flames that were still going strong. “Do you know why it started burning?”  
  


He shrugged. “No clue, it wasn't at our place.”  
  


“He's been such a pain about turning off lights and things if we're not using them lately...” Yugo says, looking away from the flames and at Ray, brow furrowed. “Didn't know it could turn into that.”  
  


“Fire's dangerous kid, that's why we don't recklessly play with it,” Zarc says, then frowning when he sees Yugo give a big yawn. “If you're so sleepy you can sit here too.”  
  


“No...” he mumbles stubbornly, standing up straighter only to wobble a little. “I can stand.”  
  


“There's room for you,” Yuto says, tugging at his sleeve, but Yugo still resists.  
  


Zarc huffs, then moves his arm from around Yuya to pick Yugo up by the back of the shirt and plopped him in his lap as well, despite his protests. He slumps back against his chest almost immediately, making Yuri and Yuya snicker.  
  


Ray can't help but smile, their bantering and the comfortable atmosphere, despite teasing and Zarc's seemingly rough exterior, was so familiar to her by now. She gives the bag the man was sitting on a look. “You got some stuff with you?”  
  


“Oh, yeah, told them to pack the most essential, maybe some clothes, their decks too, obviously.” He looks out over the other people standing outside, some standing barefoot or covered in soot. Zarc and his four tykes, on the other hand, had both shoes and extra shirts on, despite they obviously still being in nightwear, the colourful pyjama pants a noticeable giveaway-  
  


Hold on.  
  


“Are these the same ones I gave you?” she asks, smirking and tugging at the mint green pants with thin, white stripes on them.  
  


Zarc scowls, eyes narrowing irritably. “Maybe.”  
  


She titters, making him scowl harder and the kids laugh with her. Laughing like this when their home was literally burning up behind them felt odd, but she couldn't quite help herself.  
  


She stops as Zarc's eyes shoot to a place behind her. Looking back, she sees that reporters and film crews have finished preparing for live coverage, a woman speaking to the large camera in front of her.  
  


Zarc clicks his tongue irritably and when she looks back, he's tugging his hood down further over his face.  
  


Ray frowns. “Do you have anywhere to go? Sleep? No offense, but the brats look ready to pass out.”  
  


Zarc glances down at them, brushing his fingers through Yuri's hair as his head droops forward, eyes struggling to stay open. “Guess we'll have to check into a hotel or something for now,” he gives the fire a glance, a look of such pure exhaustion not only caused by a lack of sleep, passing over his face for a mere second before it was drawn back again. “...Doubt we'll be able to sleep there for a while.”  
  


Ray is pretty damn sure their house is done for, but she knows Zarc won't say that outright. Not when the kids sit so close, all of them shrinking back in on themselves and miserable expressions forming on their faces.  
  


It hadn't been very big, the boys had all shared a room stuffed with two bunk beds that just fit along with a dresser. The stairs were narrow, the kitchen cramped with a max of two people fitting at the same time, the air conditioning was broken more often than not and some windows could only be opened by Zarc since they got stuck.  
  


But it had been their home nonetheless. A cozy home, filled with trinkets the kids had made in school or at home, displayed with a special kind of parental pride and Zarc knowing exactly who had made what even if they were months or even years old. The wallpaper had been a hideous orange with tiny pink flowers on them and Ray hadn't believed her eyes when she had first seen it. It was lively and filled with warmth and life.  
  


Saying up-front before the kids that their home was gone, lost to flames and soot, was needlessly cruel.  
  


And now, Zarc had to put that same feeling of loss aside to find some other place for them to stay, even live.  
  


With not an inkling of hesitation, Ray made a decision.  
  


“Alright,” she says, standing back up, knees and feet aching from sitting in the same position for so long. “You're all staying with me.”  
  


Gold eyes swivel up to her fast, wide and incredulous. The boys look up at her in surprise through varying levels of sleepiness. “Ray-”  
  


“I'm not letting you pay for a place to stay when there's more than enough room in my home. You're coming with me,” she says, voice firm, hands on her hips.  
  


Zarc blinks up at her, disbelief and confusion painted over his face. Like he couldn't fathom why she would do this, maybe even trying to figure out if she had some ulterior motive. His eyes stare at her intensely, like he was searching for any possible catch. She met his eyes evenly, eyebrow raised and foot tapping on the concrete for good measure as she waits for him to get up.  
  


Tugging at his sleeve makes him look away first, down at Yuya who's looking uncertainly up at him. “Zarc, are we going with Ray?”  
  


His lips purse, thinking.  
  


Yugo mumbles something, half-asleep in his lap. Yuri tries to subtly burrow deeper into his side, shivering slightly. Yuto is looking at him before rubbing his eyes to stave off sleep for a little longer.  
  


Zarc let's out a large sigh and Ray knows she's won.  
  


“Ok kiddos, we're crashing at the Akaba headquarters.” He looks them over. “Any of you able to walk?”  
  


Yuri gets up and Yuya follows after him, swaying lightly and Zarc holds a hand out to keep him steady until he backs away. He gives Yuto and Yugo, still in his lap and struggling to keep their eyes open, an amused look before shifting them into a better grip and standing up.  
  


Ray pick up the squashed bag and slings it over her shoulder before he can protest and moves to walk back to her car, glancing back. “It's not far to the car.”  
  


Zarc nods and follows after her, Yugo and Yuto slumped against his shoulders, steering Yuya and Yuri to walk between them. “No wandering off now when I don't have any free hands to grab ya.”  
  


“Yeah, yeah,” Yuri mutters in annoyance but doesn't stray from his place.  
  


They make it to the vehicle with little issue, dodging the news crew now going around interviewing people. She unlocks her car, more like a stylised and sleek van with the extra seats inside it and goes to put their lackluster luggage in the trunk as Zarc tucks the boys into the back seats. She's sat in the driver seat waiting when he's securing the last one, engine turned on to make the car warm up.  
  


“Zarc...” She hears Yugo mumble sleepily as he's placed in the last seat.  
  


“What is it?” His voice is so soft and caring when he responds, so different compared to when he duels, to when he normally talks. It's a voice he only uses for them, the times where they've gotten injured, go up to him crying for any reason, or the few times she's been there when they've woken up from a nightmare and is looking for comfort. At first she had excused herself for the night and headed home, but after some time she had been told she could stay if she wanted to, watching them fall asleep in his lap.  
  


The near tangible love and adoration radiating from Zarc in those moments were a sight she secretly treasured, and she had a feeling she was the only one openly allowed to see it.  
  


Ray looked to the side and watched them out of the corner of her eye. Yugo murmurs, yawning loudly and Zarc brushes some hair away from his face. “Did you want to say something?”  
  


“It's gonna rain...” he says, words a little slurred. Zarc smiles.  
  


“That's good, the fire will go out faster then,” he says in response, not questioning his words at all. “Try and sleep a little in the car. We'll make a nest and sleep together when we get to Ray's place, okay?”  
  


The last part is directed to all of them, with joyed responses in varying volumes, making him smile, before closing the backseat door and walking over to the passenger seat.  
  


Ray sits silently as Zarc slumps next to her, letting out a tired sigh as he almost sinks into the leather seat. “We ready to go?”  
  


He nods, stifling a yawn. “Ready to go, boss.”  
  


She rolls her eyes at the sarcastic nickname, but goes to take them out of the small chaos outside, manouvering around people and other vehicles.  
  


And as she makes it out to the road, raindrops start falling and pitter-patter against the roof, light at first but quickly increasing.  
  


“Nice prediction,” she says as she turns on the windshield wipers. The trip back home would take longer than it took getting here since it was raining and the roads were busier now, but she wouldn't drive recklessly with the kind of luggage she had in the car now.  
  


Zarc smirks, leaning his chin on his hand, elbow propped against the door. “They're getting better.”  
  


“Hmm,” she didn't really get it, but didn't push for answers. “By the way, what's a 'nest'?”  
  


“A pile consisting of a mattress and a shitton of blankets and pillows,” Zarc answers easily, looking back to the kids, now all asleep thanks to the soft seats and warmth. “It's very cozy.”  
  


It was an odd concept to her, but they were full of weird things she didn't really feel like questioning. She had a lot of moments like that with this little family.  
  


Ray has to hold back from laughing to herself when she thinks about them meeting her more proper family.  
  


Maybe Reiji could make some friends.

 

* * *

 

 


End file.
